Ike Ketchum: A New Journey Begins
by GustyBoots
Summary: Ike Ketchum, son of Ash Ketchum, begins his Pokemon Journey as soon as he is of age. But Ike is nothing like his father. Ash was never there when Ike was growing up, but on the day he sets out on his journey, Ike recieves something he never expected...
1. Part 1

Ike Ketchum: A New Journey Begins Part One

Today was the day. Ike was to leave for his Pok mon Journey today. He still didn t understand why his father would send him a gift; in all his life, Ike had never received a gift from Ash. Then, yesterday, for his tenth birthday, Ash had sent Ike a female Pikachu named Sasha.  
Sasha was a beautiful Pok mon. She had sleek yellow fur and a wonderful tail with a crook in the end that reminded Ike of a heart. Her little cheeks were still pink, like a Pichu, and she had an extra tuft of fur on her forehead. Sasha was obviously a very special Pok mon.  
Ike didn t care why Ash had sent him this wonderful Pikachu. All that Ike knew was that he was going to raise Sasha to be stronger than his father s. All of Ike s Pok mon had to be stronger than Ash s. He had to prove that he was not just The son of a Pok mon Master . Ike planned to be THE Pok mon Master of the world. I m better than Ash, Ike thought. I m better than anybody.  
Ike was knocked out of his thoughts by his mother, Ima. Are you daydreaming? Listen to what I m saying to you! Ike was outside with his mother. She had helped Ike pack a brand new back-pack with provisions for him and his pokemon. She had been droning on for over an hour about safety and first aid. Ike had been learning about all this for his entire life, so listening to her got really boring, really fast.  
My son. I will really miss you when you re gone from here. Do you remember where you re supposed to go? Pallet Town. I have to go get a Pokedex from Oak, Ike answered automatically.  
No, not Oak , Ima corrected.  
Professor Oak, Ike revised.  
Thank you, Ima said.  
Professor Oak. What an old man. Ike wondered how old he was, and how he was still even alive.  
Well, you better get going if you want to get to Pallet before it gets too late. Hurry now! Ima was obviously trying not to burst into tears.  
Ike lived in Viridian City. By foot, it took the average trainer three days to reach Pallet town from where he was. Ike had heard that Ash had made it to Viridian from Pallet in one day when he had first begun training. Ike also knew that his Pikachu was injured, and he hadn t captured a single Pok mon on his way to Viridian. Ike knew he could do better than that. He didn t care if it took him one whole week to reach Pallet. He was going to have at least one new Pokemon before he reached Professor Oak.  
Come on, Sasha! Ike said, acknowledging his mother s orders. Pika! Sasha yelled. She jumped enthusiastically onto Ike s shoulders. Ike smiled faintly; only briefly though. Ike didn t smile very often, or long. Then he turned away from his mother, and headed into the horizon, scowling and looking determined. Be good to your Pok mon Ike, Ima thought to herself. And be careful. As Ike headed out to Viridian Field, he never felt more liberated. The morning sun was shining warmly, Pidgeys were singing loudly, and the air smelled extraordinarily flowery. The glory of the day distracted Ike. He wandered along with a half grin on his face (which looked extremely eerie, because he still had a scowl in his eyes), and he paid no attention to what he was doing. This is why when he heard, Pika, Pikachu, PIIIKA! , he didn t turn around until the rock was already sailing for his head. Ike jerked to the side, but the rock still gazed his cheek, drawing blood.  
Where did that come from! Ike wondered aloud. It wasn t long before he had his answer. Mankeeey! the culprit screamed. There it was; a white and brown Pok mon with long legs and arms, and a pig nose. It had the same scowl in its eyes that Ike had, but Ike didn t notice that. Ike saw a prize; he knew this Pok mon was a tough customer. Let s show this monkey that we won t take any bullying, Sasha! Ike said.  
Pika! Sasha agreed.  
Sasha, use thundershock right now! Ike ordered.  
Sasha obliged right away, sending yellow-white streaks of light from the little pink pouches on her cheeks. The agile Mankey just side stepped the electric attack. It came down with a stiff karate-chop, and hit Sasha square on the forehead. Sasha squealed in pain, and held her stubby paws up to her forehead where the strong hand had clubbed her.  
Sasha, are you alright? Ike asked.  
Pi . Sasha replied. Then, slowly, she removed her hands and positioned herself into the crouched position. Pikachu! she shouted with more confidence.  
Okay, Sasha! You re going to have to focus! Use thundershock again, but be ready for another karate chop! Sasha nodded a little, and then with a PIKACHU! she let loose another jolt of thundershock.  
Mankey side stepped again, and again it came down with a stiff karate chop. Sasha was ready this time and she side-stepped too. Then, with a triumphant grin, she used Thundershock one last time. As it was enveloped in the electric attack, every hair on Mankey s body stood straight out. It yelled in anger and pain.  
Mankey fell to its knees. With an enraged light in its eyes, it tried to lift itself off of the ground. It didn t want to be done yet. With a grunt of exertion, it pushed itself to its feet, but its legs gave out beneath it. It fell with a look of shock on its mean little face.  
Amazing job! Ike crowed. Then he reached for one of the Pokeballs his mother had given him, and he held it up. You will be my first example to my father, he declared.  
With a twist of his arm, he threw the red-and-white ball. With a flare of red, Mankey was trapped inside the Pokeball. The ball shook around for a while, but then the middle lit up, and Ike knew. Mankey was his.  
Only a few hours into my journey, and I m already better than him, Ike thought to himself.


	2. Part 2

Ike Ketchum: The Journey Begins Part 2 Note: I do not own Pokemon. I haven t mentioned that yet; I figured that was obvious. But just in case, I thought I d mention it this time.

That night, Ike reflected on his progress so far. He had captured Mankey, a Pokemon which gave many new trainers a very hard time. He had spent the whole day training it, and it learned Seismic Toss. At first, Mankey was hard to manage. It had a terrible temper and it had no respect for Ike. But after it knocked Ike on his butt several times, and Ike refused to let up, Mankey seemed to develop a strange understanding with him. After that, Mankey and Sasha trained together for the rest of the day. Ike had both Pokemon team up together against other Pokemon in the wild, then he had them battle each other. Sasha tired faster than Mankey did, because it wasn t used to battling yet. Since Ike had no Pokedex, he wasn t sure of his Pokemon's levels, but he estimated that Mankey was at about level 16 already. Sasha wasn't much past level 5; Ike was pretty sure of that. It seemed as if she wanted to be babied, and she didn't have any truly strong attacks yet. Ike reflected on the weak Pokemon he had encountered in the wild. He had seen Rattata, and Pidgey. He wondered how his father's Pikachu could have been injured so badly by such wimps. Was he really such a novice? Did he know nothing of Pokemon? Whatever, Ike thought. Then he rolled over and went to sleep.  
Ike awoke to the sound of raucous cawing. Groaning, he sat up to find what was disturbing him. There, perched in an oak tree, was a very menacing looking bird Pokemon. It was small, and brown with red wings. It had spiky looking feathers on its head, and a hooked beak. Ike knew exactly what Pokemon it was. It was a Spearow.  
"Sasha, this is your territory!" Ike announced. Get awake and Thundershock that infernal Pokemon that woke me up! "Pika" , Sasha agreed groggily. She sat up, eyes lidded. Her black-tipped ears twitched twice. With a loud whine, she yawned and stretched. Then she shook her head to knock some of the sleep out. Slowly, she approached the oak tree. "Pikachu", she said, and sent a half-hearted jolt toward the Spearow. The attack didn t even reach halfway up the tree, and Sasha didn t even seem to notice. "What are you doing, Sasha? Wake up!" Ike yelled. Sasha blinked. Then she scowled. "Pikachuuuu!" she yelled. This time her attack shot up the trunk of the tree, singeing the bark. The Spearow let out a throaty cry, and then it dove down at Sasha, pecking her head. Sasha yelled out in pain, and Ike ordered her to execute another electric attack. She obliged, and the Spearow screamed again. Then it fell to the ground, twitching, its feathers fried.  
"That's what you get for disturbing my sleep!" Ike declared, throwing a Pokeball. The middle button lit up, and Ike smiled one of his brief smiles. "Good job" , Ike began, but when he turned around, he saw that Sasha had gone back to sleep.  
Later that morning, after Ike had fed himself and his Pokemon, he started back out on his journey to Pallet Town. He knew he needed to get some distance today, because he hadn't made much time yesterday. This day was just as glorious as the day before, but Ike was focused this time. He refused to let himself daydream. He had been excited that he was on his own, and that his mother couldn't tell him what to do. His non-attention had gotten him a rock in the face. He knew better now.

At about midday, Ike had come upon some shrubbery. He figured it was a good place to rest, because it was a good area to let his Pokemon forage for some natural food while he relaxed a little. He let all his Pokemon out, including Spearow, and was doing just that, when he noticed that the bushes were shaking violently.  
"Sasha, come here!" Ike called.  
"Pika?" Sasha said, coming to her trainer.  
"Shock those bushes. I want to know what s in there", Ike said.  
Sasha did so, and they heard a loud _RATTATA!_ Then, two tiny pink Rattata fell out, unconscious. "Pika!" Sasha exclaimed. The two Pokemon were obviously just babies, and Sasha was upset that she had attacked them without warning.  
"Oh, don t worry about it. They re just stunned. They'll live", Ike told the Pikachu.  
Ike should have been worried about it. At that moment, they heard another cry. This cry was no cry of pain. It was a cry of anger. And it was directed at Ike and Sasha.  
Raticate came out of the bushes that the Rattata had been playing in. And unlike them, Raticate was not injured in the least. Ike knew that it was the mother of the babies that they had attacked. He also knew that it looked like a strong Pokemon.  
"Sasha, lower its attack power! Use growl", Ike commanded.  
Unsure of itself, and wary of this new threat with the enormous teeth and mean eyes, the yellow mouse let out a very cute growl. Raticate, not one for being charmed, jumped Sasha immediately. It sunk its teeth into her little body and flung her to the ground. Sasha was defeated.  
"Sasha!" Ike screamed. Panicked, he returned her to her special Pokeball. "I know you don t usually go in here, but this is an emergency", he said to it. To Raticate, he said, "So, you wanna play that way? I m not afraid to hurt you like you hurt Sasha!" With that, he called Mankey from its foraging place and ordered it to use Karate Chop on Raticate's substantial teeth. The rat Pokemon easily evaded the attack. Then it tackled Mankey hard. Mankey fell to the ground, but it pushed itself back up angrily. Turning red with rage, it went into a fury-swipes frenzy. But the Raticate was much too fast for it, and it tackled Mankey to the ground again and again. Finally, the pig monkey was too tired to attack anymore, and it fell to the ground, exhausted. Ike called it back to its Pokeball.  
_  
I know I weakened Spearow a lot before I caught it, but maybe it's built its strength up enough to handle this thing_, Ike thought.  
"Spearow, come to me!" he called.  
Spearow wheeled over Ike's head, letting out an acknowledging cry.  
"Peck attack!" Ike ordered.  
Spearow dove into the attack, aiming straight for the rat's head. With one deft stroke, Raticate slapped Spearow between the eyes with its tail. Stunned, Spearow flapped its wings quickly just to stay airborne. Raticate saw its opportunity and attacked with a jumping bite. Spearow crashed.  
Ike returned Spearow, knowing he was in trouble. All of his Pokemon were out of commission, and he was alone with the tough rat. He knew he could not outrun her. He knew he was going to have to think of something, but he was frozen with fear. He stood there staring at the fat-looking Pokemon for what seemed an eternity. This is it, Ike thought. I m going to die. And then, without furtner ado, Raticate jumped.


	3. Part 3

Ike Ketchum: A New Journey Begins Part 3

Ike stood there with his eyes closed for about three seconds. Then he heard someone shout, "Go Fast Ball!" Then there was the sound of a Pokemon being captured in a Pokeball, then there was silence. After a moment, Ike heard a voice say, "Are ya gonna stand there all day kid?" Ike opened his eyes. Standing there was someone he had met several times in his life before, and someone he actually respected. It was Gary Oak.  
'What in the world is going on here? Why are you out here alone with no Pokemon?' Gary demanded.  
"I have Pokemon. That Raticate defeated all of them. I couldn't do anything without them, so I was preparing to die". Ike explained.  
Gary started. He was extremely taken aback by Ike's response. It was a very weird thing to say. He eyed the little boy standing here with him. He was wearing a necklace with a Gyrados face on it, a T-shirt with short sleeves over a long sleeved shirt, and a pair of cargo pants. He had a black chili bowl hair style, and a familiar face. Gary stared at the boy's features. He had mean little eyes, and two weird little dash lines on his cheeks. That's when Gary knew.  
"You're Ike, are' t you? You're Ashy boy's son! Tell me why that Raticate attacked you!"  
"Ashy boy?" Ike said. Then, "I have no idea. It just came out, in a rage, and it came after me!"  
"No it didn't. You're lying to me", Gary said. Then he surveyed the scene around him. He saw the two pink Rattata, now waking up from their unfortunate encounter with Sasha. Then he realized what happened, and he didn't like it at all.  
"You provoked that Raticate, didn't you? You hurt her babies, and she was protecting them. Then you got your Pokemon knocked out because you have no idea what you're doing. Idiot!"  
Ike was incredulous. Why was Gary attacking him? He was the one who got attacked and nearly killed! "Look, Sasha is tired and hurt and so are my other two Pokemon. Are you gonna help me, or are you going to yell at me all day?" he complained.  
Gary opened his mouth to say something, but then a girl's voice said,  
"He's right, Uncle Gary. We have to help his Pokemon!" Oh, no, Ike thought. He knew that voice. It was that know-it-all Amelia Oak. What was she doing here?  
She came skipping up, her hair all bows, and her face all sweet concern. Her brown eyes were shining with little tears, and her mouth was drawn in a straight line. It made Ike sick just to look at her. "Look at these little Pokemon! I ve never seen a pink Rattata before! Can we take them home Uncle Gary?" Amelia stared at Gary with the most disgusting, pitiful face Ike had ever seen in his life. Gary fell for it, and he caught them both with Level Balls immediately. "Grandpa needs to take care of them now anyway", he said as an excuse.  
"Now, let's go. We need to hurry. We've dawdled long enough," Gary said after he was done with the Rattata. Then he let out a low whistle, and Ike heard a big crashing sound in the grass. Suddenly, there was a giant orange and black striped Pokemon standing before them. It was magnificent. It had a gold-white mane, and a thick flowing tail. All this beautiful hair seemed to blow in the breeze always, even when there was no wind. This Pokemon appeared to be an amazing dog, but its bright fur looked like that of a tiger. Its eyes were strong and wise, making it lovely and frightening at the same time. It was the Pokemon Arcanine, an almost legendary looking fire type.  
Gary smiled at Ike's awe, and he said to the Pokemon, "We're ready to go." Arcanine heard, and it lowered itself to the ground so that Gary could climb aboard. He did so, and then he said, "What are you waiting for?"  
"We're going to ride on that?" Ike asked.  
"What do you think? We aren t going to walk! That would take us another day and a half!" Gary replied.  
Amelia was already climbing up. "Yay! I love riding on Arcy." Not wanting to be outdone, Ike attempted to climb aboard the majestic Pokemon. And he fell on his butt. Amelia giggled, but then she held out her hand for Ike to grab. Grudgingly, Ike took the offered hand and climbed up, but not without a struggle. Once he was on, Gary asked, "Are you holding on to Amelia?" Ike scowled. He didn t want to hold on to Amelia . He d rather fall off Arcanine, break his legs, have his eyes poked out by Spearow while he was still alive, then die, then get eaten by a carnivorous Pokemon, realize he wasn't dead, then die again, than hold on to Amelia. Then, a few moments later when he was whizzing along on Arcanine at incredible speed, he realized that he liked his legs and eyes very much, and he grabbed Amelia and squeezed her for dear life.

Arcanine required no rest on the way to Pallet Town. The trip only took the party a few hours, and they were in Oak's lab by the end of the day. When they arrived, one of Oak's aides told them to wait while he informed Oak that they had gotten there. A few moments later, Professor Oak appeared, looking quite happy.  
"What a pleasant surprise!" he exclaimed. "Gary is here, and so is Amelia! And who is this you ve brought along?"  
Gary shook his head. "Grandpa, you knew I was coming here today. Remember? I was doing field research, and I had something to show you."  
"Oh yes, that's right! I'm so forgetful in my old age. And who are you, son?" When Oak said the latter, he turned to Ike.  
"I'm Ike Ketchum. I've come to get a Pokedex from you", Ike replied.  
"Oh, I didn t expect you!" Oak said, surprised. "Or did I?" Amelia shook her head at him, confirming that Oak in fact, did not know Ike would be here today.  
"Yeah, and tell him your OTHER news", Gary sneered.  
"I got my Pokemon hurt by accident. They really need to be looked at", Ike said.  
Oak started at this. "They? But didn't you only have the one Pokemon? A Pikachu if I recall correctly.  
"I did when I left home. But I caught two more on my way here", Ike said, swelling a bit.  
"But I haven t given you your Pokedex yet! You don't have a trainer's license. Pikachu was only with you for protection. You aren't supposed to have any others yet!"  
Ike frowned even deeper than he usually did. "I didn't know that."  
Professor Oak shook his head. "It can't be helped. Let me see your Pokemon." Ike obeyed, and Oak took Ike's three Pokeballs. "It'll only take a moment", Oak said, and with that, he placed the Pokeballs inside a little machine. Oak pushed a few buttons, and the machine started to make a quiet humming noise. "Your Pokemon aren't damaged too badly. I can treat them with this machine. You're lucky they don't need to be sent to a Pokemon Center", Oak said. Then, after only about five minutes, Oak removed the Pokeballs.  
"Never let this happen again", he said sternly as he gave Ike back his Pokemon. "I am curious though. What did you catch?"  
Ike smiled a little. "I caught a Spearow and a Mankey", he replied. Ike knew that both of these Pokemon were hard for beginning trainers to manage. He knew that for someone with little experience to use them successfully was an impressive feat. Oak confirmed this with the surprised look on his face.  
"They listened to you? Without a badge or even a LICENSE?" Ike thought that Oak was far too old to get so excited. It was wonderful.  
"Don't forget he managed to get all three of his Pokemon injured on his way here", Gary commented.  
_Shut up_, Ike thought at him.  
"Even so, this boy shows potential. I am glad to give him one of my little encyclopedias. Give me a second", Oak said, turning. He went into another room, and then he came out with one of those little red devices he had invented many years ago; the Pokedex. It was an amazing piece of technology. It could record and store information about every Pokemon that existed. It was also Ike's ID, and it gave him license to be a real Pokemon trainer. Oak gave Ike the device, and then he said, "So, Ike Ketchum, son of Ash Ketchum, what will you do now?" Ike knew exactly what he wanted to do. He had been thinking about it since he had seen Gary in Viridian Field. Gary Oak was a researcher, but he was also a well-known Pokemon trainer. He had been his father's rival for years, and when the Viridian City Gym Leader went missing, Gary agreed to take it over. Now that Ike was an official trainer, and he had three Pokemon, he was able to challenge any gym leader. Ike turned around and faced Gary. "I challenge you to a gym battle!" he declared.  
Gary stared at Ike squarely in his eyes. Then he laughed in his face. "Who do you think you are? I will not battle you! You're a nobody."  
"What? I'm an official trainer, and I have challenged you to a gym battle. You have to battle me!" Ike whined.  
Gary shook his head. "I know for a fact that you know better than that. You know you could never beat me in a million years!"  
Ike didn't really think he could ever beat Gary, but he wanted to battle someone who was really good. He wanted to see how an amazing trainer could battle. He didn't really care if he lost; he wanted to battle somebody he looked up to. But he didn't want to admit that. It would make him look like a star-struck loser. So he said, "I bet I could! I'm better than you realize."  
Gary raised his eyebrows. "Oh-ho-ho! Really now?" He looked thoughtful, and then he looked downright devious. "I tell you what", he said, "if you can beat my niece in a Pokemon battle at my gym, I'll give you a badge."  
Ike was furious. This was an insult.  
"You can't do that! She isn't the gym leader! This is not how it works!" Ike shouted.  
"It's my gym. I'm allowed to make whatever rules I want to. So you have to battle Amelia."  
"What? Don't I have any say in this whatsoever?" Amelia broke in.  
"Yes, you do", Gary said simply.  
Amelia smiled. "Okay then, I'll do it. It'll be fun!"  
"There's my sweet niece!" Gary cooed.  
"There is no way I'll agree to this!" Ike complained.  
"Then no badge", Gary shrugged. "I don't care."  
Ike seethed. "Then I guess I have no choice. I will battle Amelia. But you better believe that I won't lose. I'll bring the pain to your little niece's Pokemon, and you'll be sorry you made me do this!" Then he turned to Amelia and said, "I'll see you in a few days, Ms. Priss." Then he turned away from all three of the Oaks, and stormed off.  
Ike stormed out of Oak s lab, and that was the end of that conversation.


	4. Part 4

Ike Ketchum: A New Journey Begins

Part 4

It had been almost two days since Ike left Oak's lab. He was making good progress, and he figured that he would be in Viridian City within a few hours. It had been rainy after he left, and he was afraid that Sasha would be unwilling to go forward with him in bad weather, but she seemed to be raring to go. Ike had completed little training, but he had managed to teach Spearow to use Pursuit.

"Well, Sasha, we're getting close," Ike said. "Are you pumped up and ready?"

"Pikachu!" Sasha growled.

"That's right, of course you are! We both are." Ike agreed. He didn't know what Pokémon Amelia used, so he didn't know exactly how to plan a real strategy. He figured Amelia would use Pokémon a girl would like. In Ike's mind, this would include Pokémon like Jigglypuff and Meowth. She'd probably be a pushover. It made him angry to think he was being forced to battle someone weak to earn an official badge. What would that prove?

Sasha's ear twitched. "Pika?"

"What is it, Sasha?" Ike said, coming out of his reverie. Sasha didn't answer. Instead, she jumped down from Ike's shoulder and ran into some bushes. Ike remembered what happened the last time he sent his Pokémon into some bushes, and he got worried. "Sasha, you get out of there this minute!"

Sasha did, and there was a little purple Pokémon behind her. It had large ears, a spiky back, and a horn on its head. It also had mean little buck teeth. "Nii-nii!" it complained.

"Sasha, what are you doing?" Ike demanded. Ike knew this Pokémon. It was a Nidoran male. He knew it was a poison type, and that kids who tried to pet it got stung. "Come here," he ordered Sasha. When she obeyed, he held out his Pokedex to find out more about this little poison Pokémon.

In a robotic voice, the Pokedex said:

_Nidoran Male. The Poison Pin Pokémon. Its large ears sense danger. It extends its toxic spikes when angry. The size of its body thorns indicates its toxicity._ –End entry-

Ike looked up at the feisty looking Pokémon. Its body thorns were definitely extended. "Sasha," he said, "this is your doing. You have to help me catch him now."

Sasha nodded agreement, and readied herself for battle. "Sasha, use quick attack!" he ordered.

"Pikachu!," she agreed, and she immediately went dove into a quick attack. The Nidoran cried out, and it countered by shooting poisonous needles toward Sasha. Sasha was too fast for Nidoran; she dodged and Ike ordered her to use a Thundershock attack. Sasha obliged, and the jolt landed. Nidoran looked stunned, and it didn't move.

"Good Sasha, I think we've paralyzed it!" Ike said. "I think maybe I can catch it." Saying this, he pulled a Pokeball from his belt. "Alright you, you're going to be mine!" Ike tossed the Pokeball, and with a red flare, Nidoran entered. Ike watched as the Pokeball wiggled. Then the movement slowed, and Ike thought it was over. Then , the ball popped open and Nidoran was standing before Ike and Sasha again.

"He escaped?" Ike said, surprised. "Sasha, use thundershock again!"

Sasha did, but this time, Nidoran dodged it and rammed its horn into Sasha's belly before she had time to react. Out of surprise, Sasha let out another electric shock, and Nidoran screamed. "That's what you get, you little brat!" Ike said, throwing another Pokeball. This time, Nidoran failed to escape. He was now Ike's newest Pokémon.

"Are you okay, Sasha? I think that it only Pecked you. You shouldn't be poisoned."

"Pika…" Sasha answered. She looked okay; maybe a little tired.

"Come on, you can ride on my shoulder again," Ike said. Looking relieved, Sasha climbed up, and they once again set off for Viridian City.

The party reached Viridian that night. Ike left his three Pokémon, excluding Sasha, in the hands of Nurse Joy. He decided to call his mother, because he hadn't contacted her since he left. When she picked up the phone, she looked very annoyed.

"So finally you call me," she said.

"What, no hello?" Ike replied.

"I was afraid you were dead somewhere," Ima complained. "What have you been doing anyway?"

"Haven't you talked to Professor Oak?" Ike wondered.

"No. You know how forgetful that man is these days," Ima reminded Ike.

"These days? I don't remember a time when he wasn't!"

"Even so, you need to call your mother from time to time. Just because you're a big trainer now, it doesn't mean that you don't need your mom!"

Ike stretched his eyes. "Since when are you so sentimental, mother? It's embarrassing!"

Ima scowled. "I don't care. You better call me every time you reach a town or city. If you don't I'll have the entire police force out searching for you. Do you hear me?"

Ike heard. "Yeah, yeah. Aren't you going to ask me about what I've done so far?"

"Gary called me this morning and told me all about it. You better be more careful, mister. I don't like what you've gotten yourself into one bit," Ima replied angrily.

"I'm sorry mother, okay? Sheesh! I'm going to bed. I'll call you when I get to Pewter, okay?" Ike did not want to be on the computer phone anymore now.

"Goodnight, Ike. And you better!" The picture then went away, and a female computer voice said, "Call over."

"Sweet dreams, Ike," Ike said to himself sarcastically.

The next morning, Ike marched over to Gary's gym, eager for his match. He had decided to treat this match like a real gym battle, rather than complain that it wasn't fair. If Gary was going to play games, Ike could play games too. Amelia had to be weak; she was only a girl, after all. If Gary wanted to give away a gym badge, then as far as Ike was concerned, he'd just take it from him. Now it was full steam ahead, and Ike wasn't wasting any more time.

When Ike entered the gym though, he was confused. Inside, it didn't look like a gym at all. It was full of people in lab coats…and it looked like…well, it looked very similar to Professor Oak's lab!

"Can I help you?," one of the men asked Ike.

"Yes, I came for a gym battle?" Ike said it like a question.

"Oh, I see. You have to go to the back for gym battles. We don't get many trainers here," the man said, pointing Ike in the right direction.

Befuddled, Ike headed in the direction that the man was pointing, and he came to a door with a sign that read, "Gym Battles". With a shrug, Ike pushed open the door, and saw a very basic room designed for regular battles. The wood flooring had a plain white Pokeball shaped arena painted on it, and there were windows all around to let sunlight in. On the walls, there were lines of bleachers. They were empty.

"Hello? Is there anybody in here?" Ike called. Ike jumped as the door he just entered opened behind him. He whirled around, and there he saw Gary and Amelia. Smiling at his surprise, Amelia said, "I knew you were scared of me!"

"Whatever you say. Quit trying to freak me out. I'm ready for our battle. Right now." Ike grumbled.

"Right to the point, are we?" Gary said. "Alright then. I'll be your referee today. It's going to be a three-on-three battle. The challenged, that would be Amelia, will send out the first Pokémon. Both trainers are allowed to switch Pokémon at any time. Do you understand, Ike?"

"Sure do," Ike said, getting into his position on the arena. "Let's go."

Amelia went to her place eagerly. "I think you're going to have a lot of fun today, Ike!"

"Hmph. Let's just go," Ike said impatiently.

"Okay, then. My first Pokémon," Amelia said, reaching for a Pokeball, "is one you've met before." With that, she threw her Pokeball, and out came one of the pink Rattata that Ike had knocked out back in Viridian field.

Why would she use such a weak Pokémon? This is exactly as I expected, Ike thought. He was feeling pretty good about himself. I could use any Pokémon I want to for this match, and I would easily win, he told himself. But I guess I'll be safe, and use Mankey.

"Go, Mankey!" he shouted as hi s Pokémon was released onto the field.

"An obvious choice," Amelia commented. Then she commanded her Ratatta. "Quick Attack!"


	5. Part 5

Ike Ketchum: A New Journey Begins

Part 5

Ike stared in disbelief. The realization of what just happened didn't hit him. He dumbly watched Sasha. The little Pikachu was on all fours, breathing heavily. She was covered in scratches, and her fur was disheveled. Eevee lay on the ground, its eyes a couple of swirled lines. That was how you could tell a Pokémon had fainted. Amelia returned the little red fox, and didn't say a word. All remained quiet.

Until Gary spoke.

"What are you two doing? Can't you see that your Pokémon need to be taken to the Pokémon center now?"

Ike looked over at Gary. "What about my badge?"

Gary glared at him. "I have it right here. And it's not just YOUR badge. It's Sasha's too." He handed Ike his Earth Badge, reluctantly. "You got lucky though. I could tell you didn't have any idea that your Pikachu knew that attack."

Sasha limped over to Ike and nudged his ankle. Ike looked down at his exhausted Pokémon and saw that she was regarding him with expectant, half closed eyes. She had a content grin on her face. Ike rubbed her fur tuft.  
"I did know," he lied.

"Huh. Really? What was the attack called then?" Gary wondered.

"It was called….Quick Jolt?" he guessed incorrectly.

"I knew you didn't know. Sasha was bred with that attack. It's called Volt Tackle, and she's known it since she was born. You never would have won if not for that. So you can thank your daddy for your first gym badge."

Ike was seething. He hated that Gary was disregarding everything that happened before Sasha used Volt Tackle. He had knocked out two of Amelia's other Pokémon with his Mankey and Spearow! What did he have to do to get Gary to recognize him as a true Pokémon Trainer?

"Uncle Gary, that's not fair," Amelia objected. "Eevee knows Shadow Ball, and for the very same reason. I couldn't win. Ike got his badge fairly."

Ike was beginning to think that maybe Amelia wasn't so bad after all.

"And we need to get our Pokémon to the Pokémon center now, so stop standing around arguing," she said.

At the Pokémon center, Amelia talked to Ike to pass the time.

"Where did you get Sasha, Ike?" she asked.

"My father sent her to me. She was my first Pokémon."

"My uncle gave me Eevee as my first Pokémon! That's interesting…"

"Did he give you all those other weird Pokmeon too?"

"No, just Eevee and that Rattata. I'm helping Uncle Gary's and grandpa's research by collecting strange colored Pokémon."

"Helping their research? How?"

Amelia got a strange look on her face. "Well, as you probably already know, there have always been Pokémon that are different from others in color. But that used to be a very rare occurrence. Recently, strange colored Pokémon have been appearing in Kanto in larger numbers. My grandpa and Uncle Gary want to know why. It seems a strange coincidence that your father would send you a Pikachu whose cheeks are colored the same as a Pichu. Because of this, I want to ask you a favor, Ike."

"What is it?" Ike wondered.

"Can I come along with you? On your journey, I mean. I won't get in your way. I'm not interested in getting League Badges. I only want to see if I can find more of these strange Pokémon. And, maybe you and I can find out what's happening."

Ike thought about this. He didn't really want anybody tagging along beside him. And he didn't particularly like Amelia. But she did have his side when Gary was being a jerk to him. And honestly, he didn't think having some company would be that horrible. But, he wouldn't SAY that. What he did say was,

"You won't interfere with my training?"

"Promise," Amelia said, looking hopeful.

"Then I suppose I could let you come. Until I get tired of you, anyway," Ike said.

Amelia didn't even notice that Ike said "until I get tired of you". She was too excited. After she let out a squeal of glee, she ran straight to inform her Uncle. What have I done? Ike thought to himself.

After their Pokémon had had sufficient rest, Ike and Amelia set out on the road again.

"We should probably head to Viridian Forest. There are many Pokémon there, and it's the shortest way to Pewter City. There's a gym there," Amelia said.

"I know where we need to go," Ike grumbled.

"Oh, fine, fine," Amelia grinned. She wasn't going to let Mr. Grouchy Pants ruin her high spirits. She had been wanting the chance to explore all of Kanto for a long time. She had a passion for learning, and the idea of solving the mystery of the odd colored Pokémon was thrilling to her. She thought of Ike as a capable trainer, but she wouldn't say so. She knew that he didn't need an ego boost; and anyway, he didn't treat his Pokémon right. Maybe she could fix that though, if she could show him that Pokémon were friends, not just tools to be used. He seemed to treat Sasha as a friend, so maybe it wouldn't be so hard to show him that all Pokémon were friends. Amelia was going to have fun challenging herself to complete these two missions, she thought.

It didn't take long to reach the start of the forest; about half an hour. Ike had a lot of experience with this forest. He and his mom had gone there together many times, and she had shown him what kind of Pokémon like to live there. He had learned a lot about bug Pokémon in this way, and for that he was grateful now.

Amelia didn't look so grateful. She was staring at the trees with a look of apprehension. Ike grinned at her with satisfaction. Maybe she was scared. He'd love that.

"So, are we going in, or what?" Ike said nonchalantly.

"Um, yes of course we are," she gulped.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Are you afraid of bugs or something?" Ike asked.

"….No. I have Butterfree, remember?" she replied.

"So what's the problem? We don't have all day!"

"It looks…..dark in there," Amelia replied lightly.

"You said you wouldn't get in my way. If we're going to stand around here all day because you're a little baby who's scared of the dark, I'm leaving without you!" Ike complained.

"Okay, okay. We're going now," Amelia replied, looking straight ahead at the forest.

The forest was dark, and vast. The sun shone through the tops of the trees in places, leaving little patterns of light on the forest floor. Branches covered the ground, and there were areas that looked hard to go through because they were tangled with thorny greenery. Years ago, many people got lost trying to navigate Viridian Forest, but a path got cleared when Ike was a baby. Now, it was pretty easy to find the way to Pewter City from Viridian City. That is, it was easy to find the way if you didn't stray from the path. But Ike didn't plan to stay on course. He wanted to do some training, and also find some Pokémon. He figured if he looked hard enough, he could find a rarely seen Pinsir. They hid very well, and most trainers never saw one here, but it was really strong if he could find one.

"Alright, be very quiet," Ike ordered. "I'm going off the path. You can stay here and wait if you want. But I may be gone for a long time."

Amelia looked horrified. "What? You're going to leave me here? Why? What if you get lost?"

"I won't get lost. You don't have to stay there. You can come too. But you have to be quiet," Ike said.

With that, Ike started to silently push his way through the tangled thorns. He didn't care if he got a little cut up. It was worth it to find a Pinsir. Ike was sneaking along for about two minutes when he heard Amelia crashing through the brush.

"Ike, don't leave me all alone!" she yelled.

"Shhhhhh!" Ike hissed. "I'm right here! Stop making so much noise, will ya?"

Amelia swallowed hard and took a deep breath. She knew she was acting stupid, but she couldn't help it. She didn't know why she had such an irrational fear of dark places. She did know that her Pokémon were capable of protecting her from most dangers, though. She knew that there was nothing really to fear. Still her heart pounded in her chest.

Ike, annoyed, turned around again. He was ready for the hunt. He crept along, Sasha on the ground beside him, the picture of stealth. Then something moved. Ike heard Amelia catch her breath, and he whirled around. He caught something jumping over a log at the last minute. He nodded at Sasha and Amelia and crawled toward the log, Sasha with him. Amelia hung back, not wanting to scare whatever it was away. Ike peeked over the top of the log, and saw something he didn't expect. It was a mother Pikachu and two baby Pichus.

Sasha's ears perked up. "PIKA!" she squealed.

The mother Pikachu took a fighting stance, and her cheeks sparked. She growled a warning. Sasha looked confused. She took a step toward the mother Pikachu. The babies started crying and the mother growled louder.

"Sasha, get back here. Leave them there," Ike whispered. Sasha looked back at Ike, still confused. One of her little ears twitched. She looked back at the mother and babies. Then she hesitated.

"Sasha, you better listen to me. Leave them alone," Ike whispered urgently.

"Pika…" Sasha said quietly. Then she turned around and went back to Ike. Ike let out a held breath. Then, slowly, he backed away from the Pikachu nest. He crept back over to Amelia, who asked what happened.

"Nothing," Ike said. Amelia accepted it, and they started the search again.

The whole day passed, and they never saw one Pinsir. They had run into quite a few Caterpie, Weedle, Metapod, and Kakuna, which Ike took care of easily with his Nidoran. He figured this was as good a chance as any to get some training in for his newest addition. When night fell, he told Amelia that they could rest. They found a clearing, and got out a sleeping bag (every trainer carries a compact sleeping bag). Pikachu found a soft spot on the ground to sleep on, and they were all set.

"Are going to sleep now?" Amelia asked.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Ike said sarcastically.

"I'm scared, Ike."

"I know you are, crybaby," Ike replied meanly.

Then Ike rolled over and fell asleep.

Ike woke up the next morning with a bug on his face. In a disgusted reflex, he smacked it off with his free hand. The offended Paras let out defensive Spores, and the next thing Ike knew, he was coughing violently. This woke up Sasha and Amelia, and they rushed to Ike's side to see what was the matter.

"Can't…..cough…..breathe," Ike gasped.

"Pikaaa!" Sasha yelled.

"Ike, try to tell me what happened," Amelia said calmly.

"…cough…a bug….Paras…cough….spores…" Ike wheezed.

"Oh, no! You breathed in Poisonpowder!" Amelia exclaimed. "We have to get you to a doctor!"

What doctor? Ike thought. They were in the middle of the woods!

"….cough…" Ike said. Then he passed out.

Everything went black. The whole world disappeared into nothing. Ike knew nothing that went on, and he didn't dream. But he did hear something. It was a voice, vague and far away. It was telling him something very important, but Ike knew not what. He was calm, because the voice was calm. He wasn't going to die. He knew he wasn't meant to die just yet. The voice kept on droning on, somewhere far away. He was alright. He knew he was alright.

He woke up a day later, not knowing where he was. He felt like he had been sweating, but he was dry now. He realized he wasn't wearing a shirt, and he was lying in a cot. He sat up. The place he was in appeared to be a one-room hut. There were various herbs around, and there was a very strong smell. He also saw some strange powders and things on a long table. He figured he was in an herb doctor's hut. How did he get here?

"Parrras?" a curious voice said.

Ike looked down and saw the little red bug with the small mushrooms on his back, Paras.

"AUGHHHHHH!" Ike screamed in terror.

"What is happening?" a woman's voice said. Then a woman with brown hair came rushing in, with Amelia and Sasha behind her.

"You're awake!" Amelia beamed. Then, to the woman, "He must have been scared by Paras."

"I was not scared," Ike objected, "only startled."

"Yep, he's okay," Amelia commented, handing Ike his shirt.

The woman touched Ike's forehead. "The fever has gone," she agreed. "You should be more careful in the future."

Ike scowled. "It wasn't really my fault," he said as he put his shirt back on.

Amelia looked happy. "Aren't you gonna ask how we got here?"

"You knew about this doctor, didn't you?" Ike replied.

Amelia looked startled. Ike was way smarter than she guessed. She didn't really like it. He looked so satisfied that she almost hit him.

"Yes, she did. I'm a friend of her family's," the woman replied. The pretty woman, Ike noted.

"My name is Julia. I use Pokémon and herbs to help sick people," she said.

"And if you hadn't let me come, you might have died of poison," Amelia pointed out.

"You should really stay on the path. Being out in the forest unprepared is dangerous," Julia said.

"I can't stay on the path," Ike argued. "I'm trying to train my Pokémon."

"If I cannot convince you, at least take this," Julia said, holding out some small jars. "It's herbal medicine. It's good to have if something like this happens again."

Ike took the medicine gladly, putting it into his bag.

"It works on Pokémon too," Julia said. "Just for your information."

"Will it be okay for Ike and I to go out now? Will Ike be alright?" Amelia asked.

"Yes, I believe so," Julia said. "Be careful."

"Thank you Julia," Amelia said. With that, the party headed out again.

Amelia looked at Ike, grinning again. "I almost got lost trying to find Julia," she said. "Aren't you going to thank me?"

Ike rolled his eyes. "Listen, we lost valuable time. I may not get that Pinsir now, thanks to that stupid Pokémon. I'm not in the mood to listen to all your annoying prattle."

Amelia was not happy with this reply. "Listen you, there is no such thing as a 'stupid Pokémon'. And as far as I'm concerned, you're the annoying one!"

"Whatever," Ike said. He noticed a Kakuna in front of him, and he glanced at Amelia. "Stupid Pokémon," he repeated. With that, he gave it a swift kick. It went flying and hit a tree. Ike grinned at Amelia. "Oops."

"You shouldn't have done that," Amelia said tensely.

"Why, are you going to do something about it?"

"No," she said, "but they will."

She pointed at the tree the Kakuna had hit, and there Ike saw a swarm of Beedrill forming around it. Beedrill was a black and yellow bee Pokémon with three giant stingers. They often formed in swarms when they felt threatened. And it appeared they felt threatened now.

All they could do was run, and hope that they could run fast.


	6. Part 6

Ike Ketchum: A New Journey Begins

Part 6

Note: I haven't told the levels of the Pokemon in my story thus far. You may be curious, so now I will start listing the levels of Ike's and Amelia's Pokemon at the beginning of every part. And if anyone else joins the party, I'll list their Pokemon's levels also.

Alright:

Ike – Sasha Lv. 13 Knows- Thundershock, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle, and Growl

Mankey Lv. 17, Knows – Focus Energy, Karate Chop, Fury Swipes, and Seismic Toss

Spearow Lv. 16 Knows – Peck, Fury Attack, Pursuit, and Growl

Nidoran Male, Lv. 13 Knows—Peck, Leer, Double Kick, and Focus Energy

Amelia – Eevee, Lv. 18 Knows – Quick Attack, Tackle, Tail Whip, and Shadow Ball

Rattata Lv. 10 Knows – Quick Attack, Bite, Tail Whip, and Tackle

Butterfree, Lv. 20 Knows – Confusion, Gust, Stun Spore, and Supersonic

Part 6:

**BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!** The sound of the droning Beedrill followed Ike and Amelia as they fled for their lives. Amelia looked back at the terrifying horde, and then at Ike.

"Listen, when I got lost...huff...I saw...huff...a spring," she gasped. "I think we're headed for it. We...huff...have to...huff...dive in."

Ike needed to hear no more. He picked up speed, and soon they were upon the spring, just as Amelia said. With no thought, he and Amelia dove in.

SPLOOSH!

As they sank down under the water, the buzzing sound faded. Ike stayed under for what seemed a long time, until finally his lungs yelled at him for air and he came back up, gasping. A second later, he saw Sasha and Amelia join him. He looked around, and saw that there were no more Beedrill coming for them.

Amelia looked satisfied again. Ike knew he didn't want to hear her mouth. And he was not going to thank her.

"Well, now I'm soaked. Good—EE!" he said.

Amelia didn't say anything. She only looked as if she might pop. Ike grinned inwardly.

Later that day, as Amelia watched Ike train, she reflected on what had gone on since they had met. She had heard a lot about Ash. She was told that he was a kind man who loved all Pokemon. But Ike was so different! He seemed to care mostly for himself, and he was far from kind. She sensed something else in him though. Something he kept well hidden. He must have some sort of kindness inside somewhere, because he obviously loved that little Pikachu. Maybe that mean streak he showed was only an act. Maybe he just didn't want anyone to know what he was really like. Maybe all he needed was the right push...

"YEEAH!," Ike yelled. "I can't believe this, Nidoran...I mean Nidorino!" Ike had been training the whole day. He had been pitting his Pokemon against each other, and also against wild Pokemon in the forest, such as Metapod and Kakuna. He had been training Nidoran and Mankey especially hard, and the fruits of his labor were showing greatly in his Nidoran, who had just evolved into a very healthy looking Nidorino.

"See that?" Ike crowed at Amelia. "I told you I'm a skilled trainer! Let's just see here.." he said, holding up his Pokedex.

In a robotic voice, it said:

_Nidorino, the Poison Pin Pokemon. It is aggressive and quick to attack. The horn on its head secretes a powerful venom._

"Just look at it!" Ike gushed.

It was an impressive looking Pokemon, Amelia agreed to herself. She estimated that it was about 3 feet long, making it slightly bigger than most Nidorino. Its purple skin was rich and dark, and its forehead horn was long and sharp. It had large, spiky ears, and scary looking fangs jutting out of the sides of its mouth. Its foot claws also looked pretty dangerous. Its eyes were mean, and it stared at Amelia, giving her the creeps.

"So, what do you think?" Ike said genuinely.

"I think you have succeeded in raising a monster," Amelia said honestly.

Ike looked satisfied, and he returned Nidorino to its Pokeball.

"What's for dinner?" he asked.

"Pika!" Sasha agreed.

"I don't know. I don't cook," Amelia sighed.

"You're a girl! Girls are supposed to know how to cook stuff," Ike argued.

"Not me," Amelia said. "I spend too much time outside doing research, or inside reading."

Ike's belly made a loud rumbling sound. "What good are you then?"

Amelia ignored this rude statement, because she was staring at a dark shadow at the base of a nearby tree. "What is that?" she said quietly.

"What?" Ike wondered, as he followed her line of sight. Then he tensed, and he squinted. "Could it actually be?"

With Sasha trailing him, Ike crept closer to the tree. When he had gotten close enough, he realized that his hunch had been correct. Clinging to the tree, sucking out sap, was a Pinsir.

"Alright, this is it!" he said. "Sasha, it's you this time!"

Excitedly, Sasha leapt ahead.

"Get its attention Sasha, and use Thundershock!" Ike commanded.

Sasha did, and the offended Pinsir turned around and faced them. It opened and closed its enormous head pincers. Then it charged forward, and Ike knew that it wanted to grab Sasha in a Vicegrip.

"Sasha, you charge too, with Volt Tackle!" Ike shouted.

"PIKA!" Sasha shouted with enthusiasm. Then, engulfed in electricity, she dashed forward. The powerful attack landed, and Pinsir went flying. It hit a tree with a "slam!", and then Ike didn't see where it landed.

"Oh no!" Ike wailed. "Sasha, can you smell it?"

Pikachu have an acute sense of smell and hearing; it's much stronger than a human's. Ike knew this, and he was praying that it would help him find his quarry.

Sasha started to sniff the air. After a moment, she headed in the direction in which the Pinsir had flown. Then, with a growl, she let out a thundershock.

And they heard something unexpected.

"Ow, WATCH IT!" a voice moaned.

"Hey, who is that?" Ike said.

After a moment, Ike and Sasha heard a rustling sound, and a kid rose from the bushes. He was standing with Pinsir, and his hair was frazzled from the electric shock. He was carrying with him a large bug catching net, and he was wearing shorts and a tank top.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" he asked angrily. "Shooting electricity around like it's nothing! I could've been killed!"

Ike blinked. "I didn't know there was someone here. I was trying to catch that Pinsir there."

"Oh, so you're some sort of thief, eh?" the boy concluded.

"What do you mean? Is that Pinsir yours?" Ike said.

"What do you think, dummy?" the boy said. "I suggest you go somewhere else, before I have to teach you a lesson you won't forget!"

"Is that some sort of challenge, shrimpy?" Ike retorted.

"Shrimpy? So you're a wise guy thief, eh? You injure me and my Pokemon, and then you insult me too? We don't have to take this, do we Crusher?" The last seemed to be directed at the Pinsir, who snapped his pincers together in agreement.

"Hmph. I don't have time for you," Ike said dismissively. "Besides, I've already damaged your Pinsir too much for it to be able to battle anyway."

At that moment, Amelia appeared behind Ike. "What's going on now?" she said.

"Nothing we have time for, Amelia. Let's go," Ike told her.

"Just you wait!" the boy yelled. "I challenge you to a Pokemon battle, wise guy! We'll see how weak you think Crusher is then!"

Ike knew he had to accept this challenge. If he didn't, this boy could tell people about him, and his reputation could be ruined.

"Okay, but you're going to be sorry you messed with me," Ike said.

"Oh, this is exciting!" Amelia said. "Can I be the referee?"

"I guess," Ike said. "This battle won't take long, though."

"Okay, this battle is one-on-one, okay? My Crusher against your Pikachu," the boy said.

"Sasha," Ike corrected, "her name is Sasha."

"Okay, whatever," the boy replied.

"Alright, go Sasha!" Ike ordered, sending her into battle. Sasha looked pumped.

"Okay, Crusher, it's time!" the boy said.

The Pinsir stared at Sasha, a gleam in its hard eyes.

"Sasha, use Quick Attack!" Ike ordered. He was planning on moving so fast that the boy couldn't order his Pinsir to do anything. Then, he was going to make Sasha go into another Volt Tackle to end this quickly.

But that's not what happened.

"Pinsir, use Vital Throw!" the boy said suddenly. The Pinsir tossed its head in one quick movement, and Sasha was caught in its grip. Then, with another swift toss, it threw her to the ground. Sasha squealed.

"What?" Ike gasped. This Pinsir was at a much higher level than he had expected it to be. "Sasha, can you still get up?"

Sasha, struggling with pain all over her little mouse body, forced herself up off the ground. With one eye closed, she faced the formidable Pokemon. Crusher snapped its pincers.

"Alright, Sasha, you need to avoid getting grabbed by that thing," Ike said. "Stay away from those pincers!"

Nodding, Sasha got back into a fighting position.

"Alright, get it with Thundershock!" Ike roared.

Furiously, Sasha shot forth a bolt of electricity. It landed, and Pinsir shook all over.

"Ha, ha ha!" the boy laughed suddenly. "It's over! Pinsir, get your Revenge!"

The end of the battle was a blur. The big Pinsir attacked with such fury that Pikachu couldn't move. She just lay on the ground, eyes swirled. Amelia's voice roared in his head somewhere, calling the match. Pikachu is unable to battle...little boy is the winner...Ike fell to his knees.

That night, Amelia overheard Ike talking with Sasha.

"You didn't give it your all today. I know that you could have beaten that twerp. I haven't trained you as much as some of the others I know, but you're special, Sasha."

Sasha looked on Ike with doleful eyes. She was ashamed, but she knew he was wrong. She was not strong enough. She didn't stand a chance against the one she battled here today. She felt incredibly weak and useless.

"Listen, you will be stronger, if that's what you want," Ike said. "I just...I don't want to get you hurt, Sasha. You mean a lot to me."

At that, Sasha's ears perked up. She jumped up and nuzzled Ike's face.

And then Ike did something that shocked her to her core.

Ike laughed; and not just a little titter. Ike laughed uproariously.

Then he hugged his Pokemon.

Amelia was, for once, completely speechless. Not daring to say anything, she lay back down and went to sleep.

The next morning, Ike was back to his old self. He was ready to get out of this infernal forest, and he wasn't going to waste any more time. He and Amelia returned to the path, and they made their way to Pewter City. Feeling refreshed, Sasha was in high spirits. She sang the entire way. At first it was cute, but since Pokemon talk wasn't understood by humans, it began to grow tiresome.

"Piiikaaa pika pika chu," Sasha sang, "Pika pika pika pika chu, pii pikaaa!"

"Oh, could you hush!" Amelia groaned at her.

"You hush," Ike shot back, "she's MY Pokemon, not yours!"

Amelia started to argue, but then she saw a welcome sight ahead.

The end of Viridian Forest.

"Look Ike, we're about to get out of here!" Amelia said happily.

Ike looked ahead, and nodded.

It's almost time to earn another gym badge, he thought to himself.


End file.
